May 11, 2010

One of the leaders of a newly created oil spill legal team for Florida says it is "irrelevant" that his son lobbies for BP America.

Jim Smith and Bob Butterworth, both former attorney generals, were named by Gov. Charlie Crist and Attorney General Bill McCollum on Monday to lead a pro bono legal advisory council. This council will identify law firms and help develop legal strategies in case the state needs to sue BP, the company that operated the Deepwater Horizon oil rig.

Smith's son, however, works for a Tallahassee lobbying firm that last year earned anywhere from $40,000 to $80,000 representing BP before the Legislature.

"The fact that he lobbies for BP is nothing in my equation,'' said Jim Smith. "That's irrelevant."